University of Saskatchewan cross country athlete Courtney Hufsmith finished as a conference all-star and all-Canadian at the Canada West and U SPORTS Championship in Victoria, B.C. Sunday.
Hufsmith finished third in the Canada West and 11th in the national eight-kilometre race with a time of 28:24.69. The placings named the second-year Business student a Canada West First Team All-Star and a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian.
As a team, the women's squad finished seventh in the Canada West and 20th in U SPORTS. The Huskies did not enter a team or individual on the men's side.
Also racing for the Huskie women was: Amy Severtson (37th, 32:47.46), Lindsay Balezantis (40th, 33:04.76), Natalia Bidulka (41st, 33:20.32), Sehjal Bhargava 42nd, 33:25.23, Gillian Phillips (43rd, 33:28.89) and Olivia Chadwick (50th, 35:07.96).
The Canada West does not hold a cross country championships. Top finishers among Canada West runners at the U SPORTS meet are crowned conference champions.
Topping the national team standings on the men's side were the Guelph Gryphons with 57 points, while the Toronto Varsity Blues captured the women's national title with 73 points.
Guelph's victory marked the first for the men's program since 2014, while Toronto's win on the women's side snapped a 12-year run by Guelph as national champs.
In terms of Canada West content, the host Victoria Vikes are the 2017 women's conference champions. Led by Alison Hooper, who finished fourth in CW with a time of 29:02.18, the Vikes earned their first CW title since 2012 and finished fourth nationally.
On the men's side, it was the Calgary Dinos coming out on top, with Russell Pennock playing a major role for his team, as the third-year runner posted a time of 31:36.35 – tops in CW, and fourth nationally. The win is Calgary's first conference title since 2008, as the Dinos finished second overall in the U SPORTS team standings.
CANADA WEST WOMEN'S AWARD WINNERS
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Regan Yee, Trinity Western Spartans
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Jouen Chang, Trinity Western Spartans
COACH OF THE YEAR - Brent Fougner, Victoria Vikes
STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE - Danae Keddie, Alberta Pandas
CANADA WEST WOMEN'S ALL-STARS
First Team All-Stars Women:
NAME / SCHOOL / YEAR / TIME
Regan Yee / Trinity Western University / 5 / 27:54.95
Melissa Jones / University of Calgary / 3 / 28:24.69
Courtney Hufsmith / University of Saskatchewan / 2 / 28:52.88
Alison Hooper / University of Victoria / 3 / 29:02.18
Paula Findlay / University of Alberta / 3 / 29:07.85
Chloe Hegland / University of Victoria / 4 / 29:14.37
Emma Edmonds / University of Victoria / 2 / 30:13.27
Second Team All-Stars Women:
NAME / SCHOOL / YEAR / TIME
Chloe Hewitt / University of Victoria / 2 / 30:18.38
Hannah Leggatt / MacEwan University / 3 / 30:19.33
Jouen Chang / Trinity Western University / 1 / 30:25.68
Emma Bibault / University of Victoria / 4 / 30:27.96
Mikaela Smart / Trinity Western University / 3 / 30:30.06
Anushree Patel / University of Alberta / 3 / 30:32.10
Joanna Williams / Trinity Western University / 3 / 30:41.91
U SPORTS Major Award Winners
Athlete of the Year: Sasha Gollish, Toronto
Rookie of the Year: Savanna Jordan, Dalhousie
Coach of the Year: Ross Ristuccia, Toronto
Student-Athlete Community Service: Christiana Agustin, Toronto
U SPORTS First Team All-Canadians
1. Sasha Gollish, Toronto (27:37)
2. Claire Sumner, Queen's, (27:46)
3. Branna MacDougall, Queen's (27:51)
4. Regan Yee, Trinity Western (27:55)
5. Kristina Popadich, Western (27:56)
6. Lucia Stafford, Toronto (28:18)
7. Aurélie Dubé-Lavoie, Laval (28:22)
U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadians
8. Melissa Jones, Calgary (28:25)
9. Stef Smith, Windsor (28:28)
10. Danielle Jossinet, Guelph (28:48)
11. Courtney Hufsmith, Saskatchewan (28:53)
12. Savanna Jordan, Dalhousie (28:55)
13. Meggie Dargis, McGill (28:59)
14. Alison Hooper, Victoria (29:03)